Carbureted water gas set



May 24, 1938. c. v. M lNTlRE ET AL 2,118,096

CARBURETED WATER GAS SET Filed Sept. 1'7, 1936' Patented May 24. 1938 PATENT 1 OFFICE CARBURETED WATER GAS sn'r Charles v. Mclntire, Short Hills, N. J., and wu- 'liam 'Semet-Solvay Engin Tiddy. New York, N. Y., assignors to eering Corporation, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York A pplication September 17. 1936, Serial No. 101,238

f 4 Claims.

* This invention relates to apparatus for making carbureted water gas, and more particularly to novel and improved backrun water gas apparatus. Existing backrun water gas sets are usuallyconstituted of a generator, carburetor, and super-:

heater located in separate and detached shells, and connected in series, the bases of these three sliells resting on the same operating floor, i. e., being disposed in the same horizontal plane.

The generator and carburetor are of substantially heater is connected with a wash box into which" 011 i is admitted tothe carburetor at the top thereof in a direction concurrent with the flow of water leads the backrun line from the generator.

gas therethrough.

In such backrun equipment and in the conventional up and down run water gas sets which have been used for a great number of years prior to the development of the backrun, flow of blast gases and water gas takes place downwardly through the carburetor and upwardly through the superheater. T'he'function of the superheater. asis well known, is to fix the carbureted water gas flowing therethrough. As pointed out by Professor Trinks in his book on Industrial Furnaces, page 367, published by John Wiley & Sons, The rule is that a gas which is being heated must ascend whilea gas which'is being cooledmust descend. In the present existing backrun carbu- 35. reted water gas equipment and in the up and down run water gas equipment, flow of blast gases takes place upwardly through the superheater, resulting in non-uniform heating thereof. In the subsequent carbureted water gas making steps flow of 40 carbureted water gas to be fixed in such equipment takes place upwardly in a non-uniformly heated superheater; whereas with the downward.

flowof gases through a uniformly heated superheater, in accordance with this invention, due to 4 correct distribution of blast gase's in the superheater, uniform heating of the checkerbrick in the superheater takes place and the uniformly heated checkerbrick or contact surfaces are utilized in fixing the carbureted water gas so that more efll-.

vention to' provide a (c1. ts-"am flow of gases through the'carburetor and superheater, and oilintroduced into the carburetor, are in directions which give optimum oil cracking and heat utilization efliciencles inthe production of carbureted water gas. It is a iurther object to provide a carbureted water as set in the carburetor ofwhich heavy oil such as Bunker *0 oil .can efficiently be used as the carbureting'medium. Other objects andfeatures of the invention will be made evident as the description progresses.

In accordance with this invention, the generator, carburetor and superheater, preferably of conventional size, are'connected so that the top of the generator communicates with the base of thecarburetor, and the top of the carburetor with the top of the superheater. The base of the care buretor is elevated so that it is substantially in alignment'with the top gas outlet from the generator. The carburetor has a few, two or more, layers of heat storing refractory brick Work at the base thereof. and the remainder unobstructed throughout the horizontal cross-sectional area thereof. An oil inlet is disposed at the top of the carburetor for introducing oil which may be heavy oil in a direction counte'rcurrent to the upward. flow of water gas through the carburetor. The superheater has checkerbrick occupying substantially the entire volume thereof and defining a single, pass for flow of gas. therethrough. A'

stack leads from the base 01' the superheater and extends to a point well above the'top' of the'superhbater. The backrun line leads from the bottomof the generator to a wash, box which also communicates with a gas ofltake from'the stack. The generator is provided with inlets for steam. and heav'y oil. Secondary. or scurflng air inlets may be located in the carburetor. A steam inlet is preferably disposed at the top of the stack for admitting backrun steam to the set.

' The backrun wate'r gas sets of this invention possess among others, the following advantages over existing equipment: 7

During the'blasting cycle, the heat storing refractory material at thebase of the carburetor. causes. immediate, ignititon of the blast gases as they enterthe carburetor. Moreover, this -heat storing refractory material at the bottom of the carburetor causes thorough mixingof the blast gas and secondary air and the distribution of the gases-flowing through thecarburetor uniof. The gases burn and flow upwardly through the carburetor resulting in the bottom of the carburetor. being heated to the highest temperature, i. e., the temperature gradient in the carformly throughout the cross-sectional area thereeliminated, thus insuring better distribution of gases and heat transfer between. the blast gases and the checkerbrick in the superheater. For a given size superheater, therefore, other conditions being the same, the blast gases leave the superheater at a lower temperature as compared with the temperature of the exit blast gases in existing equipment.

During the uprun, the water gas leaving the generator passes over the refractory brickwork at the bottom of thecarburetor before coming in contact with the atomized oil introduced into the carburetor.- Since, as above indicated, the base 1 of the carburetor is the hottest part thereof, the entering water gas may be further heated prior to admixture with the oil. The oil is fogged'or j atomized at the top of the carburetor in a direc? tion of flow countercurrent to, the water gas passing up therethrough. The portion of the oil which isnot immediately gasified upon introduction into the carburetor, passes down through the' carburetor, continually entering into anew zone of the carburetor which is at a progressively higher temperature, until the oil is completely gasifled. This method of oil gasification insures maximum 011 emciencies.

The carbureted water gas passes downwardly through the uniformly heated checkerbrick therein- The connection between the carburetor andasuperheater'leading into the top of the s1 iperheater should preferably be disposed coaxial with the axis of the superheater, therebygiving' better distribution of the gas throughout the superheater. Since the carbureted water gas flows downwardly through the uniformly heated superheater, it is most efliciently fixed by the 'hot' checkerbrick over which it passes.

Using heavy oil as a carbureting medium, the carbon settling at the base of the carburetor is deposited on the refractory brickwork. During a succeeding blasting cycle, this carbon deposit can be completely burned by excess secondary air introduced into the carburetor, or by scurfin'g air introduced thereinto since the carbon resting on the brickwork at the base of the carburetor where the temperature is highest will be extremely hot and in a thin layer. be kept free of excessive carbonaceous deposits, and the heat generated by the combustion of carbon will assist in bringing the temperature of the carburetor to the required point.

During the backrun, steam introduced into the stack is preheated as it flows through the stack, superheater and carburetor, restoringheat to the generator fuel bed. With heavy oil carbureti'on, the carbon remaining on the checkerbrick at the bottom of the carburetor, which is, as above indicated the hottest point in the carburetor, will,

. to a largeextent beconsumed-by the superheated steam to form water gas.

The arrangement of stack and single pass superheater, in effect, constitutes a U system in which the flow of hot gases will betowards the longer outer leg of the U preventing "back draft in the set when it is idle and in standby position with consequent. elimination of explosive hazards dueto the formation of explosive mixtures from the top of the carburetor into the top of the superheater.

Henoe,'the carburetor will of air and combustible gas. With a stack shorter than the superheater, there would bea tendency explosive gas mixtures in the set- The design of the carburetor and the connections between it and the generator and superheater substantially reduce, if not completely eliminate,- the'possibilities of blown 'over fuel be- I plug the checkerbrick therein.

In conventional carbureted water gas equipment in which gasflowsdownwardly through the carburetor, blown over fuel-is carried from the ing carried into the superheater where it would carburetor into thesuperheater. In the apparatus of this inventiomin which flow takes place upwardly through'the carburetor, blown over fuel tends to settle at the bottom of the carburetor where it can be burned during the blasting cycle.

The refractory material at the baseof the car-' buretor is so designed that blown over fuelsettling' thereon does not interfere with the flow of gas through the carburetor. In' the superheater. however, theusualhcheckerbrick is employed to insure effective heat utilization in fixing the carbureted water gas which checkerbrick would soon be clogged with blownover fuel if carried thereinto as in the case of existing equipment.

The superheater design, it will benoted, per- 4 mits ready. changing of the checkerbrick at the inlet. end, where the checkers require most frequent replacement since the inlet portion of the superheater is subjected to the highest tempera:

I tures and most severe conditions of operation.

In conventional supe'rheaters in which flow takes place in an upward direction, in order to replace the bricks'at the inlet end of the superheater, itis necessary to remove the complete body of checkerbrick therewithin. In the superheater of v this invention, it will be noted the upper layers ing the remaining brick.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification shows for purposes of exempliflcation ,-a vertical section gas set embodying this invention. It will-be understood, how'ever', the invention is not limited is elevated so that its base is substantially in the ,same horizontal plane with the outlet 4 of the 1 generator. Outlet 4 of the generator communiof checkerbrick can be removed without disturbcates with the inlet 5 to the carburetor by arefractory lined passageway 6. Generator. l is equipped with the usual grate 'l for supporting a body of fuel such as a .coal or coke. This genera tor has a fuel charging opening 8 adapted to be closed by a suitable closure, not shown, and is equipped with air inlets 9 and H disposed be-.

neath the grate and above the top of the' fuel bed respectively. The generator I has steam inlet] I2 disposed beneath the grate for supplying steam thereto. An oil spray l3 leads into the top of the generator above the fuel bed to supp y oil, which may be heavy oil such as Bunker C oil, during the gas making step if desired.

The carburetor 2 rests on suitable structural steel support I4 and is provided at its base with. two or more layers of refractory. material I! disposed on arches l6 positioned at the bottom to! the carburetor. Refractory material Ii may be through a'preferred 'backrun carbureted water 9 tal cross sectional area. A water cooled oil spray H is disposed at the top of the carburetor, preferably on the vertical axis thereof, and is arranged to supply oil which may be heavy oil such as Bunker C oil to the carburetor during the water gas making steps in a direction countercurrent to the upward flow of water gas through .the carburetor. A header It provided with downwardly directed pipes I3 is arranged to supply secondary air to the base portion of the carburetor. The top of the carburetor has a gas outlet 2| leading into the top of the superheater 3.

The superheater 3 has a circular inlet 22, the center of which is disposed to coincide with the longitudinal axis of the superheater. Inlet 22 of the superheater and outlet 2| of the carburetor, as above indicated, are connected by a refractory lined passageway which, as shown in the drawing, permits unobstructed flow of gas from the carburetor into the superheater. Checkerbrick 23, which may be of the type disclosed and claimed in United States Patent No. 1,927,834, granted September 26, 1933, completely fills the superheater 3 and rests on arches 24 disposed at the base of the superheater. Gas outlet 25 of the superheater leads into a vertical refractory lined stack 26 provided with a suitable stack valve 21. This stack is of a height somewhat greater than the height of the superheater so that, as shown in the drawing, stack valve 21 is disposed above the top of the superheater and constitutes the highest point of the set.

A conduit 28 leads from a point near the top of the stack 26 into a valve casing 29 which in turn communicates by a pipe 3| with a wash box 32. Back'run line or conduit 33 leads from the base of the generator beneath the grate into valve casing 29. The valve casing 29, as well known in this art, is provided with a three-way valve for reversing flow through the set, i. e., in one position it permits flow of uprun gas from the superheater into washbox 32, while closing the 'backrun pipe 33 and, when reversed, opens backrun line 33 so as to permit flow of backrun gas therethrough into the washbox while closing conduit 28. A gas offtake 34 leads from the washbox to the usual purification equipment.

Backrun steam inlet 35 is provided for supplying steam to the top of the stack which, as above indicated, communicates with the superheater.

It will be noted the apparatus of this invention, while retaining the advantageous relative sizes of individual generator, carburetor and superheater units which have in practice proved most efiec-' tive in the manufacture of water gas, provides a novel arrangement of these units and changes in the structure thereof so that flow of gas making fluids and gas takes place in directions and under conditions resulting in optimum heat utilization with consequent savings in generator fuel.

communicating with the top of the superheater,-

so that during th'e blasting and water gas making steps flow of blast and water gas respectively takes place from the generator up through the carburetor and down through the superheater, thereby uniformly heating the checkerbrick in the superheater during the blasting step and efliciently fixing the carbureted water gas during the gas making step, the generator and carburetor being of substantially the same height and the superheater being of substantially greater height than the generator or the carburetor, the

carburetor being elevated so that its base is substantially in alignment with the'gas ofltake at the top of the generator, the carburetor having an oil inlet disposed to introduce oil in a downward direction into the upwardly flowing stream of water gas passing through the carburetor during the water gas making step, and a stack leading from the base of the superheater and extending to a height greater than the height of the superheater.

2. A carbureted water gas set comprising a generator, carburetor and superheater located in separate and detached shells, having the top of the generator communicating with the base of the carburetor and the top of the carburetor communicating with the top of the superheater so that flow takes place up through the carburetor and down through the superheater, the generator and carburetor being of substantially the same height and the superheater being of substantially greater height than the generator or the carburetor, the carburetor being elevated so that its base is substantially in alignment with the gas offtake at the top of the generator, the carburetor having an oil inlet at its top and heat storing refractory material at its base occupying a minor portion of the volume thereof, leaving the remaining major portion unobstructed throughout the horizontal cross-sectional area thereof, and the superheater having checkerbrick therein defining a single pass for flow of gas therethrough.

3. A carbureted water gas set comprising a generator, carburetor and superheater located in separate and detached shells, having the top of the generator communicating with the base of the carburetor and the top of the carburetor communicating with the top of the superheater so that flow takes place up through the carburetor and down through the superheater, the generator height and the superheater being of substantially greater height than the generator or the carburetor, the carburetor being elevated so that its base is substantially in alignment with the gas ofltake at the top of the generator, the carburetor having an oil inlet at its top disposed coincident with the longitudinal axis of the carburetor and having heat storing refractory material therein at its base occupying a minor portion of the volume of the carburetor leaving the remaining major portion unobstructed throughout the horizontal cross-sectional area thereof, the superheater having a top inlet co-axial with the axis thereof and having checkerbrick therein defining a single pass for flow of gas therethrough, and a stack leading from the base of the superheater and extending to a height greater than the height of the superheater.

4. A carbureted water gas set comprising a generator, carburetor and superheater located in separate and detached shells, having the top of the generator communicating with the base of the carburetor and the top of the carburetor communicating with the top of the superheater so that flow takes place up through the carburetor and down through the superheater, the

generator and carburetor being of substantially the same height and the super-heater being of substantially greater height than the generator or the carburetor, the carburetor being elevated so that its base is substantially in alignment with the gas oiftake at the top of the generator, the carburetor having an oil inlet at its top disposed coincident with the longitudinal axis of the carburetor and having heat storing refractory material therein at its base occupying a minor portion of the volume of the carburetor leaving the remaining major portion unobatructed throughout the horizontal crosa-sec-- tional area thereof, the superheater having a top inlet co-axial with'the axia' thereof and having checkerbrick therein defining a single pass for flow of gas therethrough. a stack leading from the base of the superheater and extending to a height greater than the height of the superheater, a backrun gas offtake leading from the base of the generator to a waahbox, an uprun gas offtake leading from the stack to said washbox, a backrun steam inlet at the top of said stack, and means fdr controlling the flow through said of!- takes.

CHARLES V. McIN'I'IRE. WILLIAM 'I'IDDY. 

